Li Mei is a 16-year-old orphan here in Guangzhou that nobody ever came for. She’s now too old to be adopted and is no longer eligible for government support. An Indiana couple we’ve gotten to know met her on one of their previous adoption trips and have introduced her to an American missionary here. The missionary has taken her in and is helping her become self-sufficient.
Li Mei was at our hotel this week and when asked if she’s happy with the missionary she responded with broken English, “Happy….no. She go away…DANGER LOVE!”
Danger love, the kind of love that swoops in and then
moves on. Experience had taught Li Mei that danger love was too painful to trust.
Li Mei helped us dad’s here understand our own newly adopted daughters. No matter how hard we’ve tried to express affection this week, our new daughters push us away. It’s been painful to realize that we’re perceived as just more danger love. Unwinding their fear will take years of consistent affection.
This has left me wondering if this is the way our communities back in the states see the church. Oh yes, we’re learning this missional ministry stuff and are reaching out beyond our walls. But do those that hurt perceive our efforts as shallow danger love?
Are we committed to do what it takes to overcome their doubt?
